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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rule — government
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rule — a law
  11. capital — money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. capital — a city
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bank — for money
  17. face — to confront
  18. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com